NO VOTE OF CONFIDENCE FOR BLIND SENATOR
Chua Sue-Ann, MALAYSIAKINI Dec 20, 07. 7.12pm
Disabled activists are holding back their endorsement of Malaysia's first blind senator Prof Dr Ismail Mohd Salleh, who was sworn in yesterday in Dewan Negara by reading his oath in braille.
Prof Dr Ismail Mohd Salleh, who is also president of the Malaysian Association for the Blind, promised that his senate position was to voice the issues of the disabled.
While wheelchair-bound activist Anthony Thanasayan (above) welcomes the appointment of a disabled senator, he is not convinced that this will result in significant changes for the disabled community.
Referring to Ismail who is an academic and economist by profession, Anthony pointed out the newly-minted Senator's lack of direct involvement with the disabled community.
"He must get his hands dirty. It is crucial, otherwise there is no need for a (disabled) senator." Said Anthony who is also president of Petpositive, an animal-assisted therapy society for the disabled and elderly.
Disabled activist Francis Siva echoed calls for a disabled senator who can work effectively at the grassroots level but stressed that his views were not meant as a personal attack against Ismail.
"We need someone who actively voices out (whenever) disabled people are affected. We want people who can use the position (to help the disabled)", said Francis, president of Independent Living and Training Centre in Selangor.
Anthony also expressed doubts that Ismail, who was nominated by Women, Family and Community Development Minister Shahrizat Adbul Jalil, would be able to speak up against government policies that discriminate against the disabled.
"We will be watching him very closely. If he does good, (then) well and good. We don't want token senators," he added.
According to New Straits Times, Ismail plans to hold a congress for the disabled to discuss issues affecting them.
The 60-year-old academic also pledged to champion the rights and equal opportunities for the disabled in terms of rehabilitation, education, employment and accessible infrastructure.
Veteran disabled activist Chong Tuck Meng is skeptical of Ismail's ability to look into a broad range of disability-related issues but nevertheless remains hopeful.
"We have to look at it positively . . . wait and see how he is going to do it," said Chong, the adviser of a spinal cord injury support group, Perwira K9.
Bill will not change our lives
The disabled activists also slammed the Persons with Disabilities Bill, which was passed yesterday - the last day of the year's parliamentary sittings.
The Bill include the creation of a disabled registry and address legal issues and protection of the disabled.
It also outlines the power of the Ministry to draw up rules and regulations, as well as the role of the proposed National Council for Persons with Disabilities.
The council is expected to play a key role in implementing policies and actions relating to the welfare, protection, support, rehabilitation and development of disabled persons.
The Council will be headed by Women, Family and Community Development Minister Shahrizat Abdul Jalil and representatives from local government, the Attorney-General's chambers as well as representatives of the human resource, health, transport and housing ministries.
"I don't think the bill will change our lives (as it does not provide) direct access to rights. (It is) too general," said Francis.
Francis and Anthony both urged for strict laws to end discrimination, be it for employment, opportunities and infrastructure access for disabled persons.
"We are against the charity approach. We want basic rights. . . and a decent life," said Francis.
malaysiakini
Meanwhile, CLICK HERE to listen to PETPOSITIVE'S comments on Bernama News Agency's Radio24 recently on the appointment of the disabled senator.
And CLICK HERE to read the Malay Mail's interview with PETPOSTIVE and Peter Tan.
PET+BLOGSPOT
2 comments:
Whilst I wish Ismail Mohd Salleh well in his new post as Senator, I cannot help but wonder if he is just being used as 'window dressing'
The disabled in Malaysia have, and are still, living on the margins of society, very few have been able to benefit from a good education, and even the few who have find life a constant uphill struggle against discrimination, prejudice and intolerance.
Senator Ismail will need to be fully dedicated and must be prepared to confront and disagree with the Government on many issues, if he is to be successful in fulfilling the task all the disabled persons in Malaysia expect him to undertake.
The disabled of Malaysia will be watching him closely and constantly taking notes and recording his performance.
Dear Mr Thanasayan
We refer to your comments in the Malay Mail of
December 20 2007 and wish to say that we , who are
also blind, appreciate that Prof Datuk Dr Ismail, who
is also blind and the President of the Malaysian
Association for the Blind (MAB), has been appointed a
Senator. And from the reported press statements he has
made he has great plans for the disabled. All that
sounds good and proper. However, please read the
attached letter on our problems with MAB, which was
sent to him on October 16 2006 by AR registered post.
He didn’t even bother to reply to it or to see that
appropriate action was taken to overcome the problems.
A similar letter, written in Braille, was also sent to
him at around the same time and to that too he didn’t
give an answer. The same goes for the Deputy
President, Datuk S Kulasegeran, who was made aware of
these problems by a Background Paper dropped into the
letter box of his house in Petaling Jaya.
If, as was reported in the Malay Mail of December 20
2007 on pages 1 & 2, a simple matter like the drawing
up of a S & P between us and the MAB for the purchase
of low cost flats for us his Association had to take 9
years to act, how is he going to manage bigger issues?
Arranging for forums is all very well. But the result
is that it will be all talk and the making of
recommendations and nothing more. And what could be
worse, these forums could also be held either
outstation or overseas (as these forums usually are)
leading to the spending of more of MAB’s money.
We agree with you and Mr Peter Tan that a person more
in touch with ground roots would have made a better
choice.
We appreciate all that you write in your column in the
Star.
Yours sincerely,
Leong Tak Keong &
Wan Zainun Wan Mohamad
Cik Maraini bte Mat Piah
No.57 Jalan 14/36
46100 Petaling Jaya
Tel: 603 – 7956 9885
H/p: 013 – 364 9885
2.Y Bhg Pro Datuk Dr Ismail Md Salleh
President
Malaysian Association for the Blind
46100 Petaling Jaya
Kompleks MAB
Jalan Tebing
50470 Kuala Lumpur
October 16 2006
Dear Sir,
RE Purchase by MAB of Low Cost Flats at Shah Alam for
the Blind
1) Leong Tak Keong(Lot 114)
2) Wan Zainun Wan Mahamad (Lot 113)
3) Nurul Shakina Teh Abdullah (Lot 109)
4) Sazawiyah Said (Lot 118)
5) Maraini Mat Piah (Lot 112)
6) Rahmah Husin (Lot 203)
We are wondering whether you are aware of the problems
faced by us with regards to the above. Briefly, this
is the situation.
We were renting rooms in the MAB Hostel located beside
the Tun Hussein Eye Hospital in Petaling Jaya. When
MAB required that land on which the Hostel was located
for development a proposal was made in 1998 that with
our consent MAB would arrange to purchase on behalf of
us six low cost flats in Section 20 Shah Alam from
PKNS at RM 25,000/- each. In July 1998 we signed a
consent form accepting the proposal that we would be
responsible for the payment of the said low cost
flats. Among the conditions were the following -
a) 10% to be paid when the Sale & Purchase Agreement
(S&P) was signed;
b) 10% to be paid 30 days after the date (a);
c) The balance of 80% to be paid according to the
schedule of progress of the project;
d) In the event of a cancellation 10% would be
deducted as cost of management; and
e) In the event of late payments received after the CF
was issued interest at 15% pa
would be incurred.
When we fulfilled conditions (a) & (b) we were
allotted lots as stated in the heading to this letter.
In 1999 a meeting was called in the Tun Hussein Eye
Hospital at which we were present.
At that meeting it was decided that loans would be
raised on our behalf and that we would be able to
settle those loans with payments of RM 180/- pm. The
first two named were able to settle the RM 20,000/-
balance in one payment by June 1999, but the rest
accepted the terms of the loan. It was understood that
MAB was to hold the flats on trust for the above named
until the full payment was made when Sale & Purchase
Agreements between MAB and us would be executed.
When the flats were completed and CF issued we were
required to pay for lawyer’s fees, water deposit and
service charges before the keys were handed to us. We
entered into occupation of the flats but to date no
S&P has been executed for us transferring the flats
from MAB. So the flats remain in the name of MAB and
not the persons who paid for them. Also we were
required to continue paying for electricity, water,
insurance, quit rent, rates besides continuing to pay
for the monthly service charges. All receipts for the
above and for the installment payments were issued by
PKNS in the name of MAB.
We approached MAB many times to execute the required
S&P and to declare us the rightful owners of the
flats. Receiving no reply to our many requests, we
even had lawyers’ letters sent but to no avail. To
compound matters the four who were paying installments
for the loans were issued receipts stating that they
are in fact paying rentals.
We are puzzled how an Association dedicated to the
cause of the blind can create so much trouble for us.
When you were elected President we had hoped that we
would receive better consideration since you are one
of us. We regret to inform you that we are terribly
disappointed that we had to go to Y. Bhg Datuk Michael
Chong of the MCA Public Service & Complaints Dept for
help. It was only then that this matter has moved
forward. And that only by we being sent by MAB blank
forms from PKNS to fill. Now we do not have any other
details of the properties since we are not the ones
who entered into the Sale & Purchase Agreements with
PKNS. So how do you expect us to fill these forms.
Couldn’t MAB fill the forms and indicate where we were
to sign before sending them to us? Quite frankly all
of us have lost confidence and trust in MAB. It seems
an Association dedicated to the sighted instead.
We thought you should know how confidence and trust of
MAB has eroded among the blind.
Yours sincerely,
(Leong Tak Keong)
Cc
Y Bhg Datuk Michael Chong
MCA Public Service & Complaint Dept
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